Derval O'Rourke: How fitness and food can keep you fighting fit during flu season
Derval O'Rourke. Picture Denis Minihane.
It’s that time of year when sniffles are starting — and this year more than ever I feel we are all very conscious of how we are feeling. I want to share fitness tips that help me during these months ahead when coughs, colds, flus are rampant. For this week’s recipe, I’m sharing one of my ‘28 Day Challenge’ recipes from Derval.ie
These Healthy Wholegrain Quesadillas are easy, delicious, and a super way to increase our vegetable intake, which is really important to stay fit and healthy.
We all know that exercise makes us feel good and helps keep us well. Now that the kids are back to school, and some bit of a normal routine has resumed, I feel people are determined to get moving again and are setting themselves new health goals. They might be getting back to an exercise class or starting to walk/run a little more or for those who are comfortable with it they might be returning to a gym routine. In my previous career as a professional athlete, the biggest challenge was to stay ‘healthy’ during these months: that meant trying to keep colds and the flu at bay whilst consistently training.
If my heart rate is higher than normal I avoid doing exercise that will cause my body too much stress. I wear a tracker watch most days so it’s really easy to tell if my heart rate is elevated and take it as a sign to slow down my exercise plan. If I’m feeling under the weather, I will pay much more attention to this. I tend to check my heart rate in the morning and this way I’m aware of my own personal trends and patterns.
I’ve often pushed myself way too hard when I’ve been fatigued or starting to feel unwell. It’s never a good idea. Most of us are time poor so when we carve out the time to exercise we want to get the biggest bang for our buck but if you are not feeling great it’s a bad idea to train hard or really push your exercise routine. Consider the intensity of your training particularly when you are feeling a little bit off.
I pop into the gym, ‘The Squad’, most weeks and I’ve been really impressed by the measures they have for keeping the gym clean and sanitised. If you are going to a gym or class, be conscious of the measures they are taking to keep you safe in the current climate. Most are working really hard to keep their doors open and their clients safe.
This is the key for me during winter months. I try hard to get more sleep. Sleep is one of the most under-utilised tools in feeling well. I aim for 7-9 hours of sleep most nights. If I’ve missed sleep I will actively try to catch up in the days after missing it.
There are so many amazing professionals who’ve been working incredibly hard in 2020 to keep us well. If in doubt make sure to consult them. They will advise on the best way to keep yourself fighting fit through the next few months.
Grab a minute during the day to stretch. Reach your hands over your head to make yourself as tall as possible, hold this position for 5-10 seconds and repeat 5 times.
Ensure you’re drinking enough water throughout the day no matter what you’re doing. Taking a few seconds to hydrate yourself will make you more productive.
Recipe:
These quesadillas make for a great mid-week supper and are equally delicious served cold with a salad for lunch.
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Serves: 4
- 2 wholegrain wraps
- 1 tub of hummus (shop-bought or you can make your own)
- 1 avocado, skin removed and thinly sliced
- 1 lime, juiced
- 100g feta, crumbled
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tsp. olive oil
Spread a thick layer of hummus on each wrap. Place ½ of the avocado on one side of the wrap and drizzle the lime juice over it.
Sprinkle the feta and chopped coriander on top, season with salt and pepper. Fold in half.
In a pan heat the olive oil and cook each wrap for 1 - 2 minutes on each side or until lightly golden and crisp. Cut each wrap in half and serve.
